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Drosera
'The Sundew'
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| D capensis | D spatulata | D capensis |
Found in almost every country of the world, Droseras come in a huge range of shapes and sizes with quite a variety of growing conditions. The single common denominator with all Droseras is the method of collecting insects using sticky leaves.
Droseras secrete a sticky substance on the ends of fine hairs which act like an efficient flypaper securely holding down insects. In most species the hairs and leaf curled once the insect is detected, eventually the insect is held down by large numbers of these hairs that make escape impossible. The secretion then acts as an acid and dissolves the insects internal organs turning them into a form that can be used by the plant to feed itself.
Droseras are highly varied in the way they grow and much is dependant on the type of environment they come from. Perennial Sundews generally come from environments that retain moisture all year or are more tropical. These Sundews maintain leaves all year and last for 2 or more years, often reproducing from cuttings. Droseras with tubers or corms, these Sundews come from areas that are dry for parts of the year. These Sundews have developed a bulb underground which grows at the start of the wet season allowing the plant to grow for a few months while water is available then returning to dormancy once the dry season begins. The third type of Sundew is to be considered an annual plant as the mature plant produces seed or Gemma (a small bud that forms into a new plant like a seed) which develop the new plants for the following year. These annual Sundew species can rarely be kept more than one year.
| D hamiltonia & D spatulata |
D binata flower |
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The Genus Drosera is a large genus with species found across the world. Most have specific growing requirements and are difficult to grow without a substantial amount of trial and error. The easiest forms to grow are D capensis, D binata, D spatulata and D hamiltonii. A number of other dwarf species are also easy to grow with little care.
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Dwarf Drocera species, many may only be 1cm across. The species above is D. roseana. |
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